The Smallest Stars
by Memorian
Summary: Crowfrost, WindClan's medicine cat, receives a prophecy about his apprentice Smallpaw... But then everything goes awry, and not even StarClan can tell what will come next.
1. Prologue: A Prophecy

It did not feel like sleep, when the WindClan medicine cat pressed his nose to the moonstone that moonhigh night. No, it felt like blinking: one moment, Crowfrost was in the waking world; the next, he was in StarClan. The grassy moors were tonight's dream setting, and the rolling hills were well-known to him, save for the fact that there was a hint of starlight laced into the scenery. The black tom waited with characteristic patience, seating himself and curling his tail neatly over his paws. There was a mild curiosity in his eyes: which StarClan cat would visit him tonight? As of late, his starry-furred visitors had been different every meeting. Perhaps they were growing tired of him. The thought made Crowfrost purr quietly to himself, and a distinct Cheshire grin tugged at his lips. "You won't be rid of me for a while," he mused to himself. "I'm only thirty-five moons old. I've got a long life ahead of me, and many more visits."

It was then that he spotted a familiar silver-furred she-cat, making her way towards him. Crowfrost blinked coolly. "Pebbletail," he greeted his late mentor, beckoning her closer with a flick of his tail. "To what do I owe the honor?"

The other she-cat waved her tail in response, stopping just a tail's length in front of him. "Hello, Crowfrost. I wish you'd take this a little more seriously. We've got a message for you, tonight."

Try as he might, he could not hide the impish tone in his voice. "I am _always_ serious," he protested, but composed himself all the same, ears pricked. His grin faded away, and he wore a mask of calm, stony readiness. "Now, about that message…?"

This time it was Pebbletail's turn to compose herself, and Crowfrost waited until she was ready. "_In the darkest light, even the smallest stars shine the brightest."_ Her words filled his ears and echoed in his mind; they were filled with the wisdom and foresight of StarClan. Briefly, the tom took the time to mull it over in his own thoughts. When the she-cat spoke again, her voice sounded just as usually had. She sighed. "Nothing escapes you, I know that much."

Ah, so he _was_ right. "You're talking about my apprentice. Smallpaw." StarClan prophecies may be a mystery to some, but if there was one thing Crowfrost was known for, it was his sharp mind. Pebbletail nodded.

"Yes. Hard times are coming in the moons ahead, and it will be your apprentice that sees they will come to an end. That much I can say." Her green eyes took on a sterner look, but were not unkind. "But Crowfrost, there is one other thing I must tell you. It is to have faith in StarClan."

His grin reappeared, but this time, it was to conceal a grimace. "Of course I have faith in StarClan."

His mentor shook her head. "Knowing that StarClan exists and having faith in StarClan are two different things, Crowfrost. This was not my decision." The current medicine cat sat a little straighter as she continued. "You cannot tell Smallpaw this prophecy."

"And if I do?"

There was a cold steel in his eyes; she held his gaze evenly. For several long moments, the duo was silent. Finally, Crowfrost sighed to himself, knowing that she had seen through his bluff, a rare skill indeed. "I won't tell her, but I won't be happy about it, either. I will guide her through these times."

"I expected nothing less," Pebbletail said, standing and flashing a light smile at her former apprentice, before padding away. Crowfrost watched her go silently. When she had at last faded from his sight, he closed his eyes slowly.

When he opened them again, it was no longer the cool, starry blades of grass under his paws, but rather the icy, hard stone of the Mothermouth's cavern. Slowly, Crowfrost pulled his nose from the touch of the moonstone, which glowed softly in the faint moonlight that streamed through the ceiling, and retreated to his position near the tunnel that lead to the exit. Briarnose, the RiverClan medicine cat, was already there; the brown tom was dozing in the corner while he waited for the others to finish. Crowfrost's apprentice, Smallpaw, was waiting there as well, and her white pelt was easy to make out even in the dark cavern. The eager smile on her face told him everything he needed to know, and the black tom nuzzled her gently as he sat and waited for the others. He was grateful that she had a good dream, but the contents of his own still weighed heavily on his mind, even if his expression was neutral. Maplefoot, ThunderClan's medicine cat, soon finished her dream and joined the group, and had Crowfrost been less preoccupied with his own thoughts, he would have noticed the concern in her face. Finally, ShadowClan's Minkface completed the group, and she shouldered Briarnose to rouse him. Without a word to one another, the cats filed through the pitch-black tunnel and out of the Mothermouth, where the wind whistled faintly in the mountains high above and frost laced the ground under their paws.

"It'll be a cold leafbare, I can feel it in my bones," Briarnose commented with a yawn.

Minkface smirked at that, padding alongside the group with ease. "I bet that's not the _only_ thing you feel in your bones and joints. You're practically an elder. Anyone want to bet on how soon 'til he gives in and takes on an apprentice? My bet is a moon or less."

"Six moons," Maplefoot chipped in, giggling slightly to herself. Crowfrost found himself relaxing as the conversation carried on and they grew closer to the Clan territories. There would be time to ponder his dream later, in the quiet of camp. For now, he was among friends.

"Never. Briarnose is timeless," Smallpaw's voice sounded from next to him. Crowfrost smiled as he looked down at her.

"Smallpaw, I'm surprised at you. Calling poor Briarnose older than dirt." The younger she-cat laughed, though; four moons of training had taught her to recognize when Crowfrost was only teasing, which was often.

"I'm old, not deaf, Crowfrost." Coughed the RiverClan cat good-naturedly. The five cats laughed again as they reached the Thunderpath that separated Highstones from the two most immediate territories, WindClan and ShadowClan. They gathered at the side of the black paved path, each wrinkling their nose at the foul stench that wafted from it.

A monster, bright eyes lighting the way, flew down the Thunderpath past the group. Smallpaw shrank back, clamping her ears tightly against her skull; Crowfrost touched her shoulder gently with his tail, but was otherwise silent. His green eyes gazed down the direction the first monster had come from. "Looks ok," he murmured after a minute, when no more eyes appeared in the distance. "Let's be quick about it though."

Half of the group- Crowfrost, Smallpaw, and Minkface- darted across the cold path quickly. They reached the other side easily, waiting for the older Briarnose and the more cautious Maplefoot to follow in suit. After another moment of pause, they started to cross, the she-cat matching the elderly tom's slower pace, their pelts rubbing gently as Maplefoot guided him across.

Crowfrost looked down sharply as the ground rumbled underneath his pads. But the sound that followed this strange phenomenon wasn't from below- it was from ahead. He pricked his ears and squinted his eyes, gazing into the darkness. There were no monster eyes to be seen, but… no. No, it couldn't be.

There was the glint of moonlight off of its shiny hide as it hurtled down the path, even faster than the last one.

"Get off the path!" Crowfrost shouted at his fellow medicine cats. There was no time to explain, but they had gotten the message. Maplefoot shouldered Briarnose to give him a head start and together they sprinted forward. The black tom's heart was racing alongside them; his claws dug into the cool grass and dirt. If they could just make it off the path, they'd be safe. Monsters never left the path. Monsters _never_ left the path. If they could make it _off_…

A bright light blinded them suddenly. The pair of cats froze. A yowl tore from Crowfrost's throat. The monster's round paws turned. For an instant, he was relieved.

Then its bright eyes turned towards him.

He threw himself to the side, and felt another furry body land just shy of him. It was Minkface. _Smallpaw_. He spun around.

The monster towered over her. The white she-cat made a desperate leap towards him from between its paws. He was horror struck.

"Don't-!"

She disappeared under one of its massive paws.


	2. Chapter I: Awakening

Her eyes flickered open just as the first stars were starting to vanish in the morning sky. It was dark, and she could still just make out the distant peaks of Highstones looming ominously. With a groan, Smallpaw stood shakily. Her whole body trembled like the last leaf in a leafbare breeze; memories of the horrifying monster were still replaying themselves over and over in her head. Its blinding eyes… its roaring paws… Her heart dropped suddenly. StarClan… was she in StarClan?

Her green eyes darted around at the surroundings, looking for any sign that she had died and joined her warrior ancestors. But no- there was no starlight mingling in the scenery, nor was there any starry-pelted cats to greet her. It was then she realized that there were no cats around at all, and the she-cat frowned. Where was Crowfrost? And the other medicine cats? She couldn't come up with any reason for them to leave her there, and the thought was worrying. But she pushed it to the back of her mind for now. She shivered again- how long had she been lying there, on the frozen ground? Hours, at least. A chilly breeze blew from behind her, as if beckoning her back home. She followed it, making her way slowly onwards, leaving the ThunderPath- and hopefully, those horrible flashbacks- behind her.

As she walked, Smallpaw analyzed herself, the way she'd seen Crowfrost analyze their patients when something more serious than a thorn stuck in a pad was wrong. She ached all over, but whether that was from the cold or the monster, she couldn't tell. It was a miracle that nothing worse had happened to her- she was still walking capably, if a bit unsteadily- and the apprentice supposed that that was something to be grateful for. Still, something didn't _quite_ sit right with her, and an uncharacteristic frown was plain on her face. The white cat made a mental note to tell Crowfrost when she got back to camp.

By the time she reached the camp, a few rays of light had lightened the sky to the east, and though the moon had set long ago, the sun had yet to reach the horizon. She could see from a distance the number of cats milling about camp- another strange occurrence, she noted. Shouldn't only the dawn patrol be up? As she drew closer, weaving around the warriors that guarded the camp that night, the overwhelming smell of lavender hit her. It was all Smallpaw could to do keep herself from gagging at the thick smell that hung over the clearing like a cloud. She needed to find her mentor in all this mess, but it was hard to spot the tom's pitch-black pelt in the dark morning. "Crowfrost?" She called, but there was no response. He wasn't in his den either, as she padded past it in her search. Cats around her were murmuring about something, but she ignored them, weaving her way around them to the outside of camp.

There- she could just make out his silhouette, sitting atop a short hill a tree-length from camp. Smallpaw bounded towards him. "Crowfrost! I've been looking for you," she called as she approached, but the tom didn't so much as flick his ear at her. She wasn't so easily dissuaded. "Crowfrost, I'm okay, see?" The she-cat put on a smile, easily masking her increasingly worried thoughts with a cheery exterior. Still, he did not turn to look at her. After a moment, Smallpaw sighed. She had seen Crowfrost like this only once or twice before, and it was impossible to get through to him in this state. He was like a stone, perched precariously on the crest of the hill; the only movement was when the wind that blew over the moors ruffled his fur.

The apprentice padded around to face her mentor as he gazed past her, staring hard towards the slowly rising sun. Her eyes drifted from his face to his paws, where she spotted a slow trail of blood leaking from one of his unsheathed claws as they clenched at the ground. "You broke one of your claws… Mousebrain," Smallpaw muttered, glancing up at the tom, hoping the insult would elicit some sort of reaction. Not so much as a blink. With another sigh, the apprentice turned so that she was sitting next to her mentor, staring off at the rising sun along with him.

A kit must have died overnight, she thought; it was the only time she ever saw Crowfrost this way. Unresponsive. Catatonic. He'd be back to himself in a few days time, but until then, there was no helping him.

Silently, she leaned against the medicine cat to comfort him in the only way she knew how. Her stomach lurched suddenly. With a jolt, Smallpaw found herself lying on her side on the ground next to Crowfrost. 'What in the…?'

"Crowfrost." The apprentice jumped at the sound of a voice behind her, interrupting her thoughts. She spun quickly to see Dovestar making her way up the hill with ease towards them. Smallpaw bowed her head respectfully and moved over to make room for the fluffy she-cat, who sat between them.

There was a long silence between the two of them. "Crowfrost. I am sorry for your loss," Dovestar began. Smallpaw tilted her head at this. "But the night is over now, and the Clan needs you." Another pause. The apprentice shifted uncomfortably now. "She's not in pain anymore. Smallpaw is with StarClan."

The smaller she-cat wobbled. What? _What? She _was with StarClan? No, she was here!Right here, next to them! "No!" She yelled, standing on her hind paws and batting at the leader with a paw. Her green eyes widened with shock when her paw passed right through Dovestar's fur with no resistance, as if she were made of smoke.

No, no, no, this wasn't possible. It couldn't be. She still felt alive; she still ached and was cold and shivering and her head spun and blood rushed in her ears. Her heart pounded forcefully in her chest. She almost didn't notice when the leader and the medicine cat stood abruptly, turning their backs to the sun and padding off towards camp together. Smallpaw chased after them desperately. The she-cat swiped at their tails, ran ahead of them, yowled their names so loudly she thought her throat would tear.

But nothing changed. The duo didn't so much as acknowledge her as they entered the camp and went their separate ways- Dovestar headed towards the leader's den, Crowfrost to the medicine cat's den. That left Smallpaw frozen on the edge of camp, wide-eyed and trembling. Was there something she had missed, something that she was supposed to do? Did she have to do something before being allowed into StarClan? Surely… Surely they hadn't condemned her, forsaken her? No, of course not. She was only ten moons old! What could she have possibly done in such a short time, that StarClan would reject her?

Hot tears pricked at her eyes; her stomach twisted itself into a painful knot. _No!_ She had to think. She refused to let this get to her. What would Crowfrost do, in her position? Smallpaw took a deep breath, blinking back the tears, forcing herself to think. The moonstone, that was it. That was the only thing she could do, at this point. But she was tired and drowning in her sea of emotions. There was no way she'd be able to make the trip back in her state.

With slow, heavy pawsteps, Smallpaw made her way to Crowfrost's den. The tom was there, curled up in the back corner, long tail concealing his face. Had she not known better, she may have thought he was at peace. The white she-cat stood still for a moment, watching the shaky rise and fall of his breathing, before venturing closer. She curled up across from her mentor, green eyes transfixed on his solid black pelt until, at long last, they fluttered closed and she drifted off into a fitful, but mercifully dreamless, sleep.


	3. Chapter II: Journey

It was early evening when she awoke; the sun's last light streamed through the den entrance, dark orange in color. Smallpaw blinked once, twice, before sitting up silently. Physically, she felt better than last night- the ache in her legs had faded and she had regained some strength, though her eyes still burned slightly. Emotionally, however, her heart was broken into pieces and lay at her paws. Dying was hard enough on its own; it was nigh on impossible at this point.

The she-cat dragged herself to her paws and glanced around the den. Each herb had its place in the cracks of the walls; she and Crowfrost had just reorganized them not three days ago. There were spare nests made of fresh moss for the most serious patients against the other wall, each empty and gathering dust- a good sign, as there were no recent injuries. Towards the end, in the darkest corner of the den, was Crowfrost's den… and this too was empty, she noticed. Curious as to where he had ventured off to, the apprentice ventured slowly out of the den, squinting slightly in the light. Camp was just as busy as ever: a patrol was just leaving, led by… _Spottedtail?_

"Mom!" called the she-cat, padding after the patrol as they passed her, before remembering there was nothing she could do but watch. The warrior's gait was stiff, and her eyes were fixed on the ground ahead of her coldly. Smallpaw knew that Patchfoot wasn't so cruel as to assign her mother to a patrol the night after her kit's death. Spottedtail must have volunteered, to keep her mind busy. It wasn't the first time this had happened.

It took a huge amount of effort to pry her gaze away from her mother's receding figure as she led the patrol onwards. But otherwise, everything else seemed relatively… normal. The two queens were shooing their kits into the nursery for the night, while some of the younger apprentices had returned from training and were curling up in the center of camp, weary and ready for sleep. Dovestar could be seen across the camp, chatting with Patchfoot. "Life goes on, I guess," mumbled Smallpaw, trying as best she could to keep the bitter tone out of her voice. It wasn't fair, she knew, to expect clan life to stop just for her. But that didn't mean it didn't _hurt_, especially when she was right there alongside them.

She shuddered a bit, turning away from the scene that was playing out in front of her. The sun had just touched the horizon, and the sky was stained a dark red as it sank lower and lower by the minute. Smallpaw knew she would have to trek back to Highstones tonight, and she kneaded her paws anxiously. She hoped her plan would work. There was nothing else she could possibly think of.

A shadow moved in the corner of her eye; the she-cat whipped her head around. It was Crowfrost, arriving back in camp, carrying some herbs that she couldn't quite make out in his jaws. Her heart skipped a painful beat, seeing his lowered eyes and rumpled fur, and she knew she couldn't leave without seeing him one last time, even if she knew he couldn't hear her goodbye.

She followed the tom into the den and watched as he set the herbs down carefully before seating himself, still looking downcast. "Crowfrost, I… I need to go now." She started. "And I know you won't hear this, and I know it doesn't make up for anything, but… But I r-really…" she swallowed hard and looked down at her paws. "I really enjoyed being your apprentice."

There, she had said her peace. Smallpaw was about to turn and leave when she noticed that Crowfrost hadn't moved to put the herbs away. The apprentice padded around his form to get a better look at what they were, squinting in the low light. Feverfew she picked out almost immediately, with a bit of comfrey in the pile as well. And then, resting on top, something round… a type of berry? Smallpaw padded a little closer.

No. No, it _couldn't_ be. Now she knew why he hadn't put the herbs away yet. To think he had actually _considered_…!

"You fox-hearted, mouse-brained, snake-tongued tom!" She screeched at him, tearing her eyes from the red berries and glaring angrily at him.

"You can't!" He didn't move.

"I'll hate you! I'll hate you forever!" _I'll hate myself,_ her mind was quick to correct her. With a frustrated yell, she flung herself forward to head-butt him, as if to push him away from the yew berries, only to find herself pass right through him. Her frustration grew, and she turned to scream at him again- when she saw him flinch and stand abruptly.

Smallpaw panted hard, nearly dry-heaving. Still glaring, she watched him make his way to the very back of the den. There, he unsheathed his claws and scooped away a couple of pawfuls of the sandy dirt. Her green gaze softened as Crowfrost returned, rolled the berries over to the hole, and buried them, patting the ground down just so it had looked as it did before. As if nothing had happened at all.

"Oh, _thank StarClan,_" Smallpaw breathed, collapsing onto the nearest nest and watching as the medicine cat put the comfrey and feverfew in their places. It took him no time at all, and he turned to head out of the den again, when he stopped. Her eyes met his, and for a hopeful second, Smallpaw thought he could see her. But no- he was looking through her, and he blinked before leaving the den. The she-cat thought about staying in the den, but she worried that he might be up to something else. With a frown, she stood and trotted out of the den.

It was already dark; the first few stars were starting to twinkle in the sky. Her eyes scanned the camp quickly, and she was a little pleased to find that her mentor hadn't left camp. In fact, he was talking to Dovestar. Still more than concerned, the apprentice padded over.

"I'd like to go to the moonstone tonight." Was all Crowfrost said by the time she arrived, glancing between the tom and the larger she-cat. He had a hard gaze that left no room for argument, not even from the leader. Dovestar's face was just as grim looking, but she nodded slightly.

"Okay. Take a warrior with you, though, and don't do anything rash."

Smallpaw snorted grimly at the last comment as her stomach clenched painfully. With a flick of her tail, Dovestar summoned a warrior- Cloudheart, she recognized- and turned back to the medicine cat. "Cloudheart, please escort Crowfrost to the moonstone tonight. I'll tell Patchfoot to find someone to take your place on the morning patrol for tomorrow." The warrior nodded, and with that, Dovestar curtly left. Without a word between them, Cloudheart and Crowfrost set off, the tom leading the way.

The small she-cat swallowed nervously as she followed the duo out of camp and over the moors. She wouldn't be going to the moonstone alone tonight, and she was grateful that she could make the journey with the medicine cat one last time.

But deep down, she was frightened of what Crowfrost might do.


	4. Chapter III: Confrontation

There were several times in his life where Crowfrost questioned the teachings of StarClan. He had never been shy about it- as an apprentice he often asked Pebbletail why their starry ancestors did what they did, though the she-cat always managed to brush these questions off. As a medicine cat, after Pebbletail's passing, Dovestar became his confidant for these musings, and she seemed to be a little more sympathetic to his internal struggle to understand. But he had never, _never_ been as close to cursing his warrior ancestors as he was that night. He kept on that eternally cool mask that he had long ago mastered, for Cloudheart's sake mostly- there was no reason to betray his feelings to his travelling companion. On the inside, however, he was writhing with anger. How dare they. How _dare_ they, rob him of the one of his very, very few friends… One of the precious few who could see right through him.

The medicine cat and the warrior reached the edge of WindClan territory in no time at all. Before crossing the Thunderpath, however, he flicked his tail at the she-cat, an indication for her to stop. Cloudheart twitched her whiskers curiously.

"This is where we part ways," Crowfrost said. "I'm heading to the moonstone alone. Do not follow me beyond this point."

"But Dovestar said-" The she-cat protested, but he was quick to cut her off.

"And I say, you are not to cross the Thunderpath. Do you understand?" His tone of voice left no room for argument. Cloudheart shuffled anxiously while Crowfrost waited for her confirmation. "Wait here for me to return. If anyone suspects or says anything, you can pin the blame on me." Another moment passed before the white and grey she-cat finally nodded, seating herself reluctantly. Crowfrost was silently grateful that Dovestar had chosen a warrior that was so easily influenced.

He darted across the Thunderpath quickly and made his way towards the distant pointed Highstones, pausing only once to reassure himself that Cloudheart had obeyed his orders. The trek was one of the loneliest he had ever taken, rivaled only by the first time he had ventured there after his mentor had passed on. But even then, he had his fellow medicine cats to accompany him and distract him; he could put on his mask and pretend everything was ok.

He couldn't do that here. And if he was truly honest with himself, he cared more deeply for Smallpaw than he did for Pebbletail. Pebbletail had always been there for him, sure: but that had been her job as his mentor. And interaction over an extended period of time had brought them closer over the moons, but it had been… forced, in the sense that she had been his obligatory companion- not that Crowfrost hadn't enjoyed her company. But at the same time, for a while, he thought he would put off taking on an apprentice for as long as possible to avoid a similar situation from occurring. It was better to keep everyone at arm's length.

And then Smallpaw came along and- oh, he couldn't bear to think of her name. At first, she had been so forward and bubbly that he couldn't help but acknowledge her- even if she could be annoying from time to time. But he couldn't help be flattered by how intrigued she had been by him and his work. That, he supposed, had been the start of their working relationship- selfish as it was. But what cut right through him was how thoughtful and kind she could be. No, it was more than that- it was how _deeply_ she felt; how she could relate to even someone like him.

And now she was gone.

Crowfrost reached the Mothermouth and padded into the dark tunnel that led the way to the Moonstone without hesitation. His pace quickened. He would get to the bottom of this once and for all, even if it meant risking StarClan's wrath. And he would make his peace with Smallpaw.

The cavern opened up to reveal the Moonstone, glowing softly in the center. Crowfrost approached it unceremoniously and lowered himself to the cool stone floor. He allowed himself a brief moment to gather his thoughts before jamming his nose to the Moonstone.

The effect was instantaneous. Crowfrost blinked to find himself standing in that familiar open field with stars lacing the grass and not a cloud in the dark sky. There were no obvious figures around him, and tonight, he was not keen on being kept waiting.

"Now isn't this an odd turn of events?" The medicine cat called out, not bothering to veil the malicious sarcasm in his voice. "_I _am the one who has a message for _StarClan_. Care to take a guess?" There was no response, but he knew his warrior ancestors could hear him regardless, and so he continued in a darker tone. "_The smallest bodies are the heaviest._"

Dark clouds rolled over the sky, billowing dramatically. A distance roll of thunder provided the only answer. Crowfrost glared upwards. "I'm terribly _unimpressed_." He remarked, seating himself to signify his intention to stay until he got what he wanted. "Neither you nor your intimidation tactics frighten me. Come out and face me yourself."

It was a long moment before a silhouette appeared before him, gradually taking on a more solid form._ Of course_, Crowfrost thought to himself, recognizing the other tom's distinct brown tabby fur, yellow eyes, and deep frown. _Of course they would send Yewnose_. He had been the medicine cat three generations before Crowfrost; Crowfrost had only previously met him in dreams two or three times, but he remembered his prickly demeanor clearly.

"Nice of you to-"

"Cut the foxdung, Crowfrost," spat Yewnose, cutting Crowfrost off. The black tom replied to this affront with a cold stare. "You aren't the only one to lose someone. Do you know _how many_ kits and apprentices reside here in StarClan? Take your selfish tail back to WindClan."

"How many cats were told to _have faith in StarClan_ the night their apprentice was stolen from them?" Crowfrost spat back, echoing Pebbletail's words. Yewnose could only return his glare. Noticing his fur was starting to bristle, the black tom forced it to lie flat and stood abruptly. "Send for Smallpaw. I need to speak with her."

"Good luck," snorted Yewnose. "She's not here."

Crowfrost felt as if he had been struck by lightning. He turned his head towards the StarClan cat painfully slowly. "What did you say?"

"She's not here. Actually, we aren't sure where she is." Crowfrost could only stare at him in stunned horror. "But what do you care, anyway? You've got a reputation for being as heartless as a fox. Never thought you'd come crawling back over some apprentice."

The current medicine cat found the strength to pull himself back together, ignoring the stab at his reputation. "What good is listening to StarClan if you can't keep track of a single cat, let alone four Clans?" His tail lashed violently; his claws unsheathed and buried themselves into the starry soil under his paws. "You tell me to have _faith_, and then you steal my apprentice and have the nerve to _lose _her." His stomach twisted at the thought of truly never seeing Smallpaw again- neither in life, nor in StarClan. As if she never existed at all.

Yewnose sniffed again. "You're right about one thing- we don't know everything. But we still know more than _you_." '_Doubtful',_ Crowfrost thought bitterly as the other tom continued. "The actions of twolegs are particularly difficult to keep track of. Maplefoot was the one who was supposed to die that night." He paused momentarily, letting the weight of the casually delivered comment sink in. "Would you trade Maplefoot's life for your apprentice's? No, wait- I don't want to know your answer. Fox-hearted medicine cat." The two toms shared a cold glare, but Crowfrost knew that Yewnose knew what his answer would have been. "Go home, Crowfrost. We're done here."

Before the medicine cat had time to protest, the other tom had vanished. Only the dark clouds that hung low in the sky remained. Crowfrost let out a long, shrill yowl; one with all of his frustration and sadness and loss packed into it. He had come for answers, to air his grievances, and most importantly, to say a proper goodbye. He had accomplished none of those. If anything, he felt significantly worse now.

After several minutes, Crowfrost blinked to find himself in the cavern once more, legs stiff from lying on the cold, hard stone. He picked himself up reluctantly and trudged back up the long tunnel. The only thought that kept him moving was that of the Clan, and how they would react if, come morning, their medicine cat were still gone. As miserable as he was feeling, he couldn't let WindClan down. He still had a job to do.

As he padded out of the Mothermouth, his green eyes gazed upwards. The moon was slightly less than half full, and hung directly above him in the sky. It was only midnight- the dream had been a lot shorter than he initially thought. A sinking, hollow feeling settled in his chest as he recalled the events of his dream, and he closed his eyes tightly, letting his mind go blank and letting it fill with the deep grief and longing he had been so painfully putting off.

"…Crowfrost?"

At first he thought it was his imagination. But it seemed so vivid, so clear… He didn't want to hope that it was true. He didn't know what he would do if it wasn't.

Ever so slowly, he opened his green eyes. At first he saw nothing; desperation nearly took hold of him once more. But after a couple of heartbeats, he spotted her.

Smallpaw, her form slowly materializing and her white fur laced with stars, stood before him in the moonlight.


End file.
